WASHINGTON, Mo. – Thousands of vintage cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more are expected in Washington, Missouri Sunday for a one-of-its-kind event in honor of a teenager’s last wish.
Alec Ingram, 14, lost his battle with osteosarcoma. But his final wish was to have his funeral procession made up of sports cars and other unique vehicles.
“Beginning around noon; the funeral is around 1 p.m. But we’ll begin shutting down streets around 11,” said Sgt. Steve Sitzes, Washington Police Department. “We have anywhere from 3,200 to 4,500 cars expected. This child loved classic cars and muscle cars.”
The cars and motorcycles will gather at Six Flags in Eureka at 8:30 a.m. and leave for Immanuel Lutheran Church and Cemetery across town.
“So, there’s estimates at any one point. If we get all the cars expected, if a car is waiting at an intersection, it could take up to three and a half hours for the entire procession if all cars are aligned to get cars through that particular intersection,” Sitzes said.
The Washington Police Department will get assistance for the funeral procession from departments in Eureka and Union, as well as the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
“All these cars are traveling the same route in the procession unlike the fair, (which) gets out and people go in different directions. We won’t have that. We’ll have one direct route with these cars traveling though that procession so it has some challenges with it,” Sitzes said.
Car clubs and enthusiasts are expected in Washington over the weekend to witness the unique procession.
“I know it’s going to be an inconvenience for some but this is what this child wanted and we’re trying to make that happen,” Sitzes said.
